U.S. Media Polarization and the 2020 Election: A Nation Divided
As the U.S. enters a heated 2020 presidential election year, Republicans and Democrats place their trust in two nearly inverse news media environments.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Mason Walker
Former Research Analyst
Mason Walker is a former research analyst focusing on journalism and media.
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Trusting the News Media in the Trump Era
An exploration of more than 50 Pew Research Center surveys confirms the overwhelming impact party identification has on Americans’ trust in the news media. And divides emerge within party – particularly the Republican Party – based on how strongly people approve of Trump.
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Americans favor mobile devices over desktops and laptops for getting news
Roughly six-in-ten U.S. adults often get news on a mobile device, compared with 30% who often do so on a desktop or laptop computer.
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Who pays for local news in the U.S.?
While few Americans pay for local news, some people are more likely to do so than others – and most believe their local news outlets are doing well financially.
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Republicans far more likely than Democrats to say fact-checkers tend to favor one side
Republicans largely say fact-checking by news outlets and other organizations favors one side. Democrats mostly think it is fair to all sides.
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Many Americans Say Made-Up News Is a Critical Problem That Needs To Be Fixed
Politicians viewed as major creators of it, but journalists seen as the ones who should fix it
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News Media Attitudes in France
France stands out from other Western European countries for its broad discontent toward the news media. About a third of adults say they trust the news media, including just 4% who say they have a lot of trust
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Western Europeans Under 30 View News Media Less Positively, Rely More on Digital Platforms Than Older Adults
Younger adults in eight Western European countries are about twice as likely as older adults to get news online than from TV. They also are more critical of the media’s performance and coverage of key issues.
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In Western Europe, Public Attitudes Toward News Media More Divided by Populist Views Than Left-Right Ideology
Across eight Western European countries, people with populist leanings have more negative attitudes about the news media than do those with non-populist views.
